The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-07-13
RESPITE DENIED.
GOVERNOR LIES ACTION ~ THE
CASE or HOLMES PURYEAR.

Tie Declines To Interfere He j. of the
Opinion that the sheriff who i in Office
is Clothed with all Power to Hang the
Accused Execution July 18th.
The Governor Yesterday sent the fol-
lowing letter to Sheriff William y. Tenn
pie, Of Prince George county, i'm reply to
Sheriff Temples letter asking for a re-
spite for Holmes r. Puryear.
COMMONWEALTH or VIRGINIA,
GOyERNoR's OFFICE.
RICHMoND, VA, July 70, 1887 J
"Hr. WWiom II. Temple, Slcrig Prince
George connty, Prince George CourHouse.
J0.
"My Dear Sir,-I have duly received
your lctted recommending that re-
Drieye Of sixty or ninety days be granted
to Holmes r. Puryear, sentenced to be
hanged on the 18th instant for the muir
der of his wife. The request is made be-
cause the validity Of your election as
sheriff of the county will come before
the ounty Court on the l4th instant,
and because las You say your services
Will be needed in attendance upon said
court, which will prevent you from con-
yeyinr the prisoner from the jail in
Petersburg, where De Is now confined. TO
Price George Courthouse, the place fixed
for his execution.
THE RECORD.
pom examination of the record.
find That lhc oilcuse for which Puryear
was tried and convicted was committed
on the lih of June, 1855 lover two years
agoE that hc was sentenced on the 2jth
of May lNNG, and rc-scnlcncod ON the 9Th
of May. 1857 that the case was removed
from Dinwiddic t0 Prince George county
in order fo remove The prisoner from
local prejudice, and that tine sentence of
the trial court was unanimously rcailm-
ed by the highest court Ia the State
also ascertain that You have been sheriff
of your county for the past four years
and f.ai ihe term OF your Office expired
ON thc lstcay of last July. Chat anclecti0n
was held thc 2GIh of May last. in which
YOU were candidate again for thc office,
and Chat you nave received The certificate
of election and qualified as sheriff prior
90 the lst of July, 1887. u i. true that
your competitor has instituted suit to
test lhc validity of your election and has
obtained % m0ndJn,us niV from the court
asking that The commissioners be required
tO give him the certificate of election. but
i'm all probability Whatever the decision
of The lower court, an appeal viii De taken
10 the Circuit Court. which does not now
meet until the ,th of November next,
when the case will probably NOT De de-
cidod until the 18th of thc month; while,
being m0nd,tn,us case, 20 may De carried
to the Court of Appeals.
THE LEGAL oFFCEK
"In view of the fact that YOU are the
officer legally charged with carrying ont
the mandate of The court in tli- ease bee
cause you hold over until your successor
is appointed and duly qualified, and be-
cause the order of the Circuit Court is
mandatory upon You, whatever may be
yOnr relations tO, or duties I'm, thc COun-
ty Court of Prince George. and for the
reason that believe chat thc decisions of
courts should never hc int rlcrcd with hy
the Executive except for good and suili-
cient reasons ] regret That ] cannot con-
sisicnily with my Official VOW and my
duty TO- the State grant for thc reasons
given by you, q rcpIicyc TO Holmes X
Puryear
81 ann, very respectfully your obcdicnt
servant, fuLHUcH LEE.'
his letter will 40 latest Doe received by
the sheriff to-day.
The Governor reasons are no doubt
Uoo1 ouee luf fhn fqef that fnorc uufuhf
be LONG contest over the office of sheriff
and that in con. .quencc This execution
might thereby be delayed. willnot appear
to many as the best reason that could be
given for refusal tO respite